Helloooooo History People!

Anotha day anotha piece of history.

There is always something new and exciting to learn about the past; let’s take a look at what happened today…

1889: Completion and Dedication of the Eiffel Tower

1918: Daylight Savings Time First in the United States

1991: End of the Warsaw Pact

Today let’s take a look at the monumental opening of one of the most recognizable pieces of internationally acclaimed man-made architecture, the Eiffel Tower, in Paris, France.

On this day in 1889, Gustave Eiffel was finally able to announce the completion of this tower, constructed by his company, Compagnie des Établissements Eiffel, and named for himself, after two years of work.

Eiffel’s company designed and developed this structure with the purpose of accenting the 1889 world’s fair and commemorating the centennial of the French Revolution.  However, at the time the plans were presented for the tower’s construction, there were a multitude of objections and disagreements among artists in the area, against the idea of the tower as w
ell as the style of it’s legendary architecture. The critics believed that Eiffel’s plans were too structurally unsound and not fit with the general look of the city. Meanwhile, Eiffel pushed forward with the idea and continued to struggle to gain momentum for his plans. He tried to sway some opinions by comparing his tower to the Egyptian pyramids in terms of size, magnitude, significance, and cultural importance. Eventually, Eiffel received approval for his ambitious plans, and began construction in 1887. For nearly two years, Eiffel’s team of engineers worked tirelessly until the tower’s completion, and the group even completed the job ahead of schedule and significantly under budget.

When Eiffel’s tower was finally finished, Eiffel decided to take a small number of government workers and members of the press to the highest point of the tower, today recognizable as the observation deck. The group had to reach the top level of the tower by climbing stairs that continued throughout the entirety of the its height, 1050 feet, for over an hour. Until the construction of the Chrysler Building in New York City, the Eiffel Tower was actually the tallest man-made structure in the world.

Clearly, after 128 years, this piece of architectural engineering legend has stood the test of time and is still one of the most notable pieces of human history ever created. I find it increasingly incredible as everyday I receive new pieces of knowledge about the world in which we live, that the structures in which we reside have in fact been designed and built by our fellow human beings. Take Old Main, for instance. Every time I walk by that building, I am consumed with such a feeling of awe at the amount of rich history that sleeps between its walls. It’s incredible to imagine that once upon a time, someone thought up the idea to build a structure that fulfilled not only its purpose, but that also looked appealing to the eye, and perhaps unintentionally ended up becoming the very essence of the place itself.

What is Penn State without Old Main? Or Paris without La Tour Eiffel? Our buildings not only offer physical protection, shelter, and functionality, but they also provide us with a story to tell. A dear friend of mine once told me that with anything you’re trying to say to someone, it’s always about the narrative. Buildings, ancient buildings, arguably weave greater narratives than can ever be told or written, or even read. This is because the very soul of history lives within their walls. It floods every room with its wondrous, encapsulating honesty. It paints itself with grace and permanence upon the foundation beams.

Where would we be today if not for the advancements in architecture and the capabilities of engineering or building? This is something I’ve been recognizing more and more as time progresses and I have come to witness a growing number of spectacular architectural designs in a variety of places. The different styles each tell a story of need, plausibility, functionality, and creativity. How interesting to think that one of the most basic human needs, shelter, can serve as arguably one of the most beneficial and inventive outlets for originality and learning to take a chance.

That’s all for now folks!

Quote of the Day:

“An optimist may see a light where there is none, but why must the pessimist always run to blow it out?”

-Rene Descartes (Philosopher, Born March 31, 1596)

Hellooooooo History People!

Get ready for another week of today in history updates!

1765 – Parliament passes the Quartering Act

1977 – United States and Cuba engage in direct negotiations

1998 – A school shooting in Jonesboro, Arkansas, kills five

2002 – “Opening the Door” Literally and Figuratively at the 74th Oscars 

A historical moment of hope was made this night for African-Americans in the film industry as Halle Berry became the first black actress to earn an Oscar award for Best Actress in a film, and Denzel Washington took home an award for Best Actor. In Halle Berry’s acceptance speech she talked about the door of opportunity finally opening to women of color in the film industry.

The entertainment industry poses some, if not the majority, of significant influence on the general public in terms of identifying social issues in need of change. This is possible through not only the content of the entertainment, but also the actors and actresses who portray the roles and actually tell the stories of injustice, adversity, and victory.
Racism has plagued humankind for millennia, as it still does today. However, the equal rights movement has continually shed light on the struggles and injustices of all minorities over the course of the past several decades. By earning Academy Awards, these individuals were able to use their abilities and their means of expression – through entertainment – to show the nation that everyone has extraordinary talents and that we all should have the chance to be recognized for our work, no matter what it is we do.

 This Oscar Award Ceremony contained so much more than just another round of winner statistics; it gave the
American public the chance to be inspired once more, during a point in the nation’s own history that seemed so bleak and contained beyond wary citizens. It helped remind the country that even though it feels like darkness is encompassing everything, there is still some light that finds its way through, if only for a second.

Quote of the Day: 

I am a great admirer of mystery and magic. Look at this life – all mystery and magic.

– Harry Houdini (Birthday: March 24, 1874)

Hellooooooo History People!

Get ready for yet another blast from the past as we look at what happened this day in history!

1990: The Soviet Union calls for Lithuania to renounce its independence – and Lithuania refuses

1906: Major Earthquake in Taiwan kills 1200 people

1762: New York City hosts the first ever St. Patrick’s Day Parade

461: The real St. Patrick’s death

In honor of the holiday, today we’ll talk about the history of St. Patrick’s Day.

St. Patrick, a Catholic-born Roman citizen, was born in Scotland and kidnapped at age 16 by Irish brigands who brought him to Ireland and forced him into slavery for many years. During this time, Patrick refined and depended on his faith. One night, a voice came to him in a dream and aided his escape back to his home country, where he was able to be reunited with his family.

Some time later, Patrick received another message in a dream in which a person who called himself Victoricus gave Patrick a letter and told him to read it. The letter was labeled “The Voice of the Irish.”, and as he read it, Patrick felt like he was able to hear the voices of Irishmen begging him to return to Ireland again. After the dream, Patrick felt a genuine calling to the priesthood, and was ordained as a priest and then again as a bishop before he acted on his dream and returned to the country that had been his prison for six years.

In Ireland, Patrick performed many charitable, kind, and religious acts for the rest of his life, such as preaching the Gospel, performing conversions to Catholicism, and helping the impoverished people. He died on this day, which also became his designated feast day once he was honored as a saint, in the year 461.

Legend has it that St. Patrick himself drove out all of the snakes from Ireland, but in reality, Ireland never actually had any snakes in the first place. St. Patrick is known for supposedly baptizing and converting thousands of people to Christianity, thereby driving out the “snakes”, or the devil and any competing religions, from the majority of northern Ireland.

St. Patrick was also known to have been an excellent missionary and teacher, and in doing so, he often used three-leaf clovers to help explain the relationship among the
three aspects of the Holy Trinity, which is why the shamrock is so visible on this holiday as well.

Today, St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland because of all the work he did within the country, and today, the day of his death, is his feast day. In 1792, the first St. Patrick’s Day parade occurred in New York City, and the tradition eventually spread internationally to celebrate the life of a man who offered his life in religious servitude by spreading Christianity to thousands of people.

For contemporary Catholics, St. Patrick’s Day falls in the middle of their season of Lent, which is the forty days before Easter that Catholics use to enrich their relationships with God by fasting, praying, and offering goods or services willingly to those in need. However, on St. Patrick’s Day, Irish Catholics consider this a day of celebration for St. Patrick, and can be seen drinking, dancing, playing music and games to celebrate the life of this man and their Irish heritage.

St. Patrick’s Day is probably one of my personal favorite holidays because of the massive amounts of green that are visible on the streets, decorations, and clothing of so many communities every year. It also allows me to embrace my small but still present Irish roots and love for the genre of music that floods the air with sweet, rapturous sounds. It also gives me a reason to watch clips of Irish step dancing on repeat with no shame, as if I don’t already do that any other time during the year (follow the link —>> Riverdance 2009).

So for those of you who are of age, have a pint or two (or more) for me at your local pub, sing some cliche drinking songs, and follow every rainbow until you find that pot of gold.That’s all for now, folks!

Until next time,

Quote of the Day:

“The people who know nothing about music are the ones always talking about it.”

-Nat King Cole (Birthday on this day 1919)

Helloooooo History People!

Welcome back to the place where history is happenin’ – or should I say, where it happened.

Today in history holds some intriguing stories. Let’s take a look at just a few:

1820: The Missouri Compromise is Passed in US Government

1904: The Famous Italian Opera Madame Butterfly made its opening debut.

And this week’s topic (because it’s actually pretty relevant and, as you know by now, I am SUCH a Hamilton musical fan):

The Election of 1800 – finally settled this day in 1801.

The U.S. presidential election of 1800 was one of the most significant events that had ever occurred in that very moment of history. This was the first U.S. election in which the transfer of political power was not preceded by violence or societal upheaval.

President John Adams sought a second term on the Federalist ticket, while opposed by several well-known individuals including Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr on the Democratic-Republican side of the ticket. Many people argued that Adams’ presidency was unsuccessful and oppressive (due to the Alien and Sedition Acts as well as various foreign policy decisions), including several influential figures in the House of Representatives (such as Alexander Hamilton). Because the likelihood of re-election was unfortunately very slim for the current president, the real fight within this election occurred between two members of the same party: Jefferson and Burr.

The two candidates were equally supportive of their party and its stances on social, economic, and ideological issues; however, their nearly equivalent likability (or lack thereof) yielded an almost unthinkable outcome: a tie within the electoral college.

It took some behind-closed-doors swindling of several members of the House of Representatives’ opinions to swing the necessary votes one way or the other (also involving Alexander Hamilton) to come to a conclusion about who would be the next president and vice president of the United States that election (a decision which was also influenced by Alexander Hamilton, who chose to support in his opinion, the lesser of two evils – Jefferson instead of
Burr). Hamilton’s influence proved to be enough to secure the win for Jefferson in this ridiculously close election.

This outcome led to the institution of separate portions of the ballot to be design
ated for the offices of president and vice president respectively to ensure that electoral votes for members of the same party would not be held against one another because of the fact that the members were actually running mates. The Twelfth Amendment signifies the legitimacy of this change in election structure.

Today, our generation has also just lived through one of the closest, most publicized, and surprising elections of all time, once again owing the results to the electoral college, a system whose usefulness has been debated for years. Many people have suggested that using the popular vote alone is the only way to ensure the longevity of democracy itself. But then again, others have argued that the popular vote does not guarantee that  the most qualified, “best choice” candidate will be chosen; this suggests that the general public is easily swayed and manipulated. Which in some cases I suppose is a valid assumption. How else would a plethora of consumer goods pushed by advertisers and marketers be so readily sold and purchased on such a large scale nationally?

Regardless, I feel that the citizens of the US should have a direct say in who their nation’s leader is, but the problem with democracy is the lack of the ability to motivate all participants to educate themselves on the candidates, or even the relevant issues at hand. At age 18, we citizens who decide to act can register to vote, but simply taking the initiative to go through the registration process is not enough. After the tiny rectangle of paper is received in the mail, yes, technically that certifies a person as a legal voter in the US. However, I believe that there are two types of voters: responsible and negligent.

A responsible voter is one who, once certified, does thorough research on the prospective candidates in local, state, or national elections in which he/she is legally able to participate. This doesn’t necessarily mean the individual has to become an expert on every issue to dive deep into the candidates’ personal lives. I simply mean to say that those who want to exercise their most basic right in American democracy, the right that countless lives have been sacrificed for over the time period of hundreds of years, should take the time to educate themselves on what their representatives have to say about what’s happening in the world.

Voting is one of the most exciting ways to exercise one’s right to free will, in my opinion. To live in a nation that openly promotes voicing your opinions, no matter the consequence, still amazes me everyday because, as we already know, not all places are like that. I do believe the electoral college system needs to be re-evaluated to better compensate for the public’s true opinion, but if that were to happen, I feel that it will be up to the people to take responsibility for their leaders. They must be willing to do the work, to educate themselves on the issues, and rationally form opinions that can be reflected in their choice of candidate for whatever office it is they might be voting for.

The most important part of democracy is accepting the responsibility that comes with being a citizen.

That’s all for now!

Quote of the Day:

“‘Git ‘r done!”

Larry the Cable Guy (Comedian, Birthday 1963)

Hellooooo History People!

Today’s historical events range from a variety of subjects, including:

1763: France, Great Britain, and Spain sign the Treaty of Paris, ending the French and Indian War.

1942: The Battle of Midway (WWII)

1996: Gary Kasparov vs. Deep Blue

“Human beings are weaklings at everything. They can’t run, jump, swim as well as a dozen animals…but there is one area where we have been supreme for millions of years. That’s intelligence. Nothing has challenged us. Now for the first time in the history of our race, something comes that says ‘hey, I might be smarter than you are’, and it’s a machine.”

– Excerpt from the documentary Game Over – Kasparov and the Machine (2003).

World Champion Chess Player Gary Kasparov rightfully carried that title for fifteen years with his extraordinary strategic and intellectual ability in the game of chess. One of the most interesting moments of his career, however, and perhaps humanity itself at the time, was when Kasparov agreed to compete against IBM’s new computer, Deep Blue, which had been programmed specifically to play chess. And not just play chess, but skillfully excel at the task. Deep Blue had been preceded by another of its kind, a prototype called Deep Thought, but Kasparov easily outsmarted this opponent in 1989. Until this match between Kasparov and Deep Blue seven years later, the legitimate potential for a computer’s ability to surpass that of human intelligence had been extremely unlikely.

The Kasparov vs. Deep Blue match up consisted of six rounds of play, with the same standards and timing for typical matches. Kasparov’s notoriously aggressive style was observable in the first round, but the outcome of the first round did not meet the expectations of the spectators and certainly those of Kasparov himself. Deep Blue won that round, to the shock of all who were watching. Kasparov came back to win the overall match, but the damage had been done: that first loss proved to the world that it was (and still is) possible to create artificial intelligence that exceeded the level of intellect possessed by the greatest minds of the time.

One year later, Deep Blue’s team of programmers called for a rematch, to which Kasparov obliged.  After several days
of “battle” the two opponents each had one win under their belts and three draws. The final game
is what made history. Deep Blue took the win, and the world watched in wonder and incredulity as the world-renown chess master was knocked from his pedestal by the workings of a machine.

This was by no means the beginning of superior machine involvement in the lives of human beings. From the calculator to the elevator, from smart phones to self-driving cars, in the past century alone mankind has rapidly been integrating more and more advanced systems into the daily workings of the world. This Kasparov vs. Deep Blue (1996 and 1997) simply opened everyone’s eyes to future possibilities. William Saletan poses some intriguing thoughts on integrating new technology into humanity in an article found at this link.

Because I chose to major in a cybersecurity-type field, it is important for me to be aware of any up-and-coming technological advances, trends, etc., and as I sit in the shadows, silently watching the extent to which researchers and entrepreneurs are driving new creations and innovations, I have realized that one can feel both madly curious and extremely fearful of the same thing at the same time.

Curious, because, as with any new toy, I desperately want to know what technology is out there, how it works, how I can get one, and how I can use it for whatever daily function it serves to improve.

Fearful, because of the inevitable dependency that will surely follow.

The next thirty years will be the most important in the entire history of humanity. Not because our generation is the
most prevalent member of society, but because we, as the most prevalent members of society, must decide how we are to use the oodles of undiscovered technological advancements that are sure to arise. Will we become completely dependent? Or should we continue to strive for ultimate advancement? My question is, where does it end? What is ultimate advancement? Things, objects, gain artificial intelligence given to them by their programmers, but why? For what purpose does technology advance?

And with all of these advancements, the question of security must also arise. How can we be sure that our personal information is completely safe when it is spread throughout all of these different sources of exposure? And public education of online safety is ridiculously outdated; most individuals don’t have proper methods of security on their own devices – especially mobile devices – which are where most cyber attacks actually take place.

Of course, not all technology is the scary, sci-fi movie, apocalyptic stuff, and we wouldn’t be able to do half the things we do today without the hard work put forth by many individuals who have created devices we use everyday. Sometimes, though, it’s just interesting to consider the possibility of intelligence by humanity’s standards blindly fumbling in the long shadows cast by the artificial genius that had been so diligently created.

That’s all for now, folks.

Quote of the Day:

“Nothing puzzles me more than the time and space; and yet nothing troubles me less.” 

– Charles Lamb (Author, Birthday: February 10th, 1775)

Helloooooo History People!

Today’s date holds many significant events in American and world history.

Highlights!

1917 – Diplomatic Relations between the US and Germany were disbanded.

2005 – The first Hispanic Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales, was appointed.

And now, the event that we will be discussing in more detail:

1780 -The first instance of mass murder in post-Revolutionary America.

It happened in the early hours before sunrise on February 3rd, 1780, in a small town in Connecticut, that Barnett Davenport, a nineteen-year-old Continental Army veteran, went to the home of his employer, Caleb Mallory. He then killed Mallory, Mallory’s wife, and their three grandchildren who were staying with them at the time using physical force and arson. This terrible event  is known as the first recorded mass murder in the history of the United States.

“These days, we live in a dangerous world.” After seeing the 24/7 news reports about attacks, mass shootings, and other criminal activity, it’s not surprising how often I’ve already heard this sentence spoken in my short lifetime. Obviously, there are dangers in the world – it’s impossible to be so stubbornly ignorant of this fact. However, I think the people who believe they are at risk today more so than in any other time period fail to understand that crime and murder have been around since the origins of mankind. This potential danger we all face that stems from our fellow people – it’s nothing new.

According to extensive research performed by historian Michael-John Cavallaro, Barnett Davenport was born into a normal-seeming family, but he had been engaged in criminal acts including theft before and after joining the army at age sixteen. As a young boy, he admitted to being intrigued by murder, yet never killed anyone until a few years later. Davenport actually came to Mallory’s farm in search of a job and applied using his brother’s name instead of his own, causing the justice system and present-day historians to recognize that this event was in fact premeditated and completely intentional. Once the murders had been committed, the authorities at first captured the wrong Davenport before realizing their error and beginning the search once again. The true mastermind was captured about a week after the killings took place.

The fact that separates this instance from other murders prior to its occurrence was the shift in perspectives through which crime was viewed by the American public. Before, the general consensus was that all criminals and murders, though extremely misguided, were still regular people who had made terrible, horrible choices. The change was sort of the realization that there are multiple factors that go into a person’s decision to do evil deeds. Sometimes people who commit these acts lose their grips on reality completely, as their minds slowly become uncontrollably obsessed with thoughts of harm, personal gain, or simply the experience of killing. Davenport’s confession shed light on the inner workings of his mind and revealed that he alone plotted the Mallorys’ murders “merely, for the sake of plundering his house; without the least provocation, or prejudice against any of them”.

(Side note: I highly recommend taking a look at his confession, page 9 – 14. Its detail and personal reflections pose some interesting points to consider when dealing with the criminal mind.)

Throughout the whole of his confession, Davenport’s factual retelling of the murders was intertwined with personal reflection on his premeditated actions, which give the reader the notion that Davenport was in fact a rational individual overcome for some time with the blinding haze of murder just for the experience of it. He was eventually sentenced to forty lashes and death by public hanging.

Another unique aspect to recognize about this case is that contemporary mass murders don’t typically end with the opportunity to hear the perpetrator’s reasoning behind the act. Many more are planned with the intention of the individual’s suicide to avoid the inevitable repercussions and to make a point. They’re also often connected to the idea of terrorism, but as history has shown, that is not always the case, and there are also many different definitions of terrorism that don’t always constitute that of mass murder.

There are numerous factors that can go into a person’s reasoning for any action they engage in, particularly criminal acts. The only thing we can do as citizens is to analyze the past, apply those understandings to contemporary measures of safety, action, and justice, and, hopefully, prevent future acts of horror by providing proper forms of help to those who need it.

That’s all for now!

Quote of the Day:

“What is truth? Truth is something so noble that if God could turn aside from it, I would keep the truth and turn aside from God.”

– Johannes Gutenberg (Inventor of the printing press, Birthday: 1500)

Helloooo History People!

Today, January 26th, (well, yesterday) several exciting events occurred, including the discovery of Brazil (1500), Joseph Hooker’s promotion to commander of the Army of the Potomac (1863), and Ukraine’s declaration of independence (1918).

Although all of these events are extremely interesting, I’d like to focus on the last topic for a moment. Feel free to follow the links provided above to learn more about all of the topics.

Ninety-nine years ago, Ukraine declared its independence from its mother country and became an independent
entity within the larger nation of a united Russia. In the midst of Russia’s chaotic civil war that began with the overthrow of the long-time czar in late 1917 (aka the Bolshevik Revolution), the bread basket nation of Europe separated itself, created its own form of government, and became its own self-governing country.

However, as a fresh, little nation with its fragile leadership and virtually no power to enforce its laws, the Ukraine, with its abundant natural resources and strategic locations, was overwhelmed by the Axis Powers during World War I. Its hopes of becoming a sovereign nation were consequently crushed for years, as after the first World War ended, the Ukraine’s old friend Russia decided to invade and take over the area, forcing the Ukraine to become one of the original members of the Soviet Union in 1922. This relationship would continue for almost seventy years until the fall of the USSR in 1991.

Fast-forward to the year 2014. Ukraine is now recognized internationally as its own nation, as it had been since it
regained its independence in the early 1990’s. But, in 2014 Russia decided to recognize Crimea, a portion of land in Ukraine, as its own pro-Russian entity, separate from the rest of the nation. Russia then annexed Crimea by sending in troops of its own, essentially taking over the area and all of its strategic attributes.

Many other governments, particularly the United States, took note of this act and proceeded to impose sanctions on economic relations between Russia and themselves, but nothing was done by external forces to return the Crimean Peninsula to its former owners.

In fact, this invasion of Crimea actually spiraled the Ukraine and Russia into a tense war that today, people seem to have put on the back burner. Of course, many things have been happening in the three years since the invasion, but now, dots across the board are becoming connected and the lines connecting them are intertwining.

As the newly appointed U.S. administration is just finishing up their first week in power, some questions are being raised as to one point that President Trump tried to emphasize during his campaign: better relations between the U.S. and Russia. President Trump has refused to acknowledge the involvement of the Russian government in cyber attacks on the U.S. time and time again, even after his many briefings once gaining the presidency. However, countless intelligence analysts have claimed for years of the cyber war that has continued far and wide, and slipping under the radar of the general public.

While the Ukrainians are facing a physical invasion by a foreign entity, they are also up against a major cyber invasion from the same source as well. Earlier this month, several U.S. senators were in the process of developing a piece of legislature that would “target those who engage with the Russian defense or intelligence sectors and  sanction investments of more than $20 million in Russian oil and gas development” in an effort to reprimand individuals or entities who participate “in significant activities undermining the cyber security of public or private infrastructure and democratic institutions.”

What the future for the U.S., Russia, and the Ukraine will hold, we’ll just have to wait and see

But in order to even attempt to understand the future, or on a much more abrupt note, the immediate present, we must learn about the thick and muddled history among these nations.

That’s all for now, folks.

Quote of the day:

“Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality.”

– Edgar Allen Poe (Famous Writer, Born: January 27th, 1809)

Hellooooo History People!

Well, all good things must eventually come to an end…

Let’s see what kind of history is happening — One last time!

October 30th:

1811: Jane Austen Publishes Sense and Sensibility

One of my personal favorite novelists, Jane Austen, often published her novels anonymously with the general public knowing nothing about the author except for the vague idea that the author was in fact a woman. This was Jane Austen’s first novel, the first of many that highlighted the personalities, customs, and expectations of people set during the same time period that Austen herself lived. The expanding plots, deep characters, and overall compelling storylines tell tales that seem to take the reader into the era that seems so long ago, but yet was not that far away. Some of Jane Austen’s other novels include Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Emma. 

October 31st:

1517: Protestant Reformation

Martin Luther, a lowly monk of the Roman Catholic Church, boldly nailed 95 theses onto the wooden door of a well-known church in Germany on this day. His outrage was directed at the leaders of the Catholic Church’s corruption and manipulation of the lives of innocent churchgoers, and sought to defy their teachings because he believed they were not truly following the teachings of God. His theses were translated and spread throughout the area and eventually sparked the split in Catholicism that led to Protestantism.

November 1st:

1993: The European Union is Created

The great powers of Western Europe devised a treaty known as the Maastricht Treaty to establish a legitimate economic alliance amongst themselves known as the European Union. Leaders were chosen, a currency (the Euro) was created, and certain national and foreign security measures were put into place. Over fifteen countries that had previously been at odds with each other at some point throughout the course of history were now bound together and depended on one another’s economies to support their own.

November 2nd:

1948: Harry S. Truman Wins the Presidential Election Over Thomas Dewey

This is probably one of the most interesting presidential elections to consider. Truman fought for another term as President of the United States, but lacked over two million popular votes to Dewey just as the actual election approaches. The final week before the election, Truman toured the nation and spoke to millions of people, reinforcing his integrity, trustworthiness, and overall resilience despite the polls. The Chicago Tribune had believed they could tell the outcome of the election based on the popularity polls, but they were mistaken. The even printed large amount of newspapers that read “Dewey Defeats Truman” that were set to be distributed to the public the next day, thus prompting Truman to snap an ironic – and iconic – photograph holding the newspaper that claimed Dewey’s success.

And now…

TODAY IN HISTORY:

November 3rd:

1964: Washington D.C. Votes in Its First Presidential Election

The Congressional acceptance of the 23rd Amendment in 1961 granted citizens of the Washington D.C. area the right to vote after over a century of being denied that right as a result of its recognition as the U.S. capitol. This land was considered neutral territory under the jurisdiction of Congress after the north and south decided on a compromise placed into effect in 1800 that set the capitol to a more central location in relation to the whole country. This particular event, D.C.’s participation in a presidential election, signifies a large portion of the nation’s citizens who vote that are significantly large in all of the elections of which they have participated, particularly in their first, the 1964 election between Lyndon B. Johnson and Barry Goldwater, where the large turnout of mostly democratic voters supplied the necessary votes that aided in Johnson’s triumph in the election.

Quote of the Day:

“Now, you lose something in your life, or you come into a conflict, and there’s gonna come a time that you’re gonna know: There was a reason for that. And at the end of your life, all the things you thought were periods, they turn out to be commas. There was never a full stop in any of it.” 

-Matthew McConaughey (Birthday: November 4, 1969)

Teach me how to say good-bye!

*Drops mic*

Helloooooo History People!

Once again we find ourselves in a world where history is happening, and I invite  you to become (a part of the narrative, the story they will write someday) about some of the events that occurred in the past and even now in the present.

This week includes some extremely significant events in our history… Let’s take a look!

October 23rd:

1855: Bleeding Kansas Development of Separate Governments

President Franklin Pierce signed the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854, the flame that started the massive blaze that was Bleeding Kansas. The act itself permitted the people to decide on the state’s status as a “free” or “slave” state. This decision incited a massive influx of violent individuals from Missouri and surrounding states to infiltrate the election and cause the results to report an overwhelmingly pro-slavery majority. On this day in particular, a few months after the pro-slavery leaders were elected to govern the territory, a group of abolitionists led by John Brown and others formed the Kansas Free State forces to oppose the leadership that greatly differed from that which was wanted by the northern half of the state. For years this kind of violence ensued between individuals on both sides of the issue of slavery, leading into the American Civil War.

October 24th:

1901: The First Person Barrel Rides Down Niagara Falls

She was not the first person to make her way down the falls and live to tell the tale, but she was the first person to do so in a barrel. Annie Edson Taylor was the first person to barrel ride down Niagara Falls, hoping, if she survived, that she would earn national fame and be able to make some fast cash. The entire experience lasted about twenty minutes, and that was pretty much the same lifespan of her fame, as well. Annie Edson Taylor was a 63-year old teacher from Michigan. Wouldn’t it have been incredible to see her in class the Monday after this happened?

October 25th:

1774: Colonists Send a Petition to England Addressing Grievances

Following the occurrence of the Boston Tea Party, Great Britain set a series of laws by which the colonists were expected to abide known as the Coercive Acts, or in the eyes of the colonists, the Intolerable Acts, including the closure of Boston’s Ports and expected quartering of British soldiers, even in private residences. Even at this point in history, the colonists were still wanting to remain loyal to their motherland, Great Britain, and in order to pursue this desire while assertively addressing their discrepancies with the newly enforced series of laws, Congress wrote a petition to the king describing their situation. The king did not respond to this request, and the colonist decided to take action by writing yet another letter to the king explaining their reasoning and justification for taking up arms against the country with whom they had previously felt such a strong alliance and identification.

October 26th:

2001: The Patriot Act

Following the horrific terror attacks on 9/11, U.S. President George W. Bush proposed the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing the Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (PATRIOT) Act which granted the government and law enforcement officers the right to obtain information that may pertain to the existence of terroristic threats against the United States with the intent to use that information in a way that actively prevents the occurrence of any future terrorist attacks. This piece of legislature is extremely controversial; there exists the argument that the Patriot Act oversteps the boundary between security and individual privacy by granting these agencies access to too much information about the average citizen. However, the fine line between privacy and security is one that will always be smudged in one way or another sacrificing particular aspects of each side.

And finally…

TODAY IN HISTORY:

October 27th:

1904: The First Subway in New York City Opens

Although it wasn’t the first instance of underground travel in the world (London – 1863), or even in the United States (Boston – 1897), New York City’s installation of the subway was one of the most intricate and practical means of transportation at the time. The length of the first system was approximately 9.1 miles long and extended from City Hall, to Grand Central Station, to Broadway, all the way to Harlem. There were over 100,000 people that decided to take the subway on its opening day. Now, millions of New Yorkers travel by subway to get to and from home, work, school, etc., and it has become a necessary transportation service in a city that has grown to be among the largest in the world.

 

Quote of the Day:

“If you can’t make it good, at least make it look good. “

-Bill Gates, Founder of Microsoft (Birthday: Oct. 28, 1955)

Helloooooo History People!

For all you newbies out there, one of the main goals in my writing about history and focusing on particular events that happened each day is to help people become more informed about actual events that occurred over the course of our nation’s history. In our society, too often we are faced with instances in which people simply do not know – or even care – that monumental events occurred and a seemingly average day in contemporary time is actually a significantly important day in the eyes of history.

If you join us right now, together we can turn the tide…

October 16th:

1859: John Brown Raids Harper’s Ferry

John Brown tried to incite a slave revolt at a local armory and failed due to lack of participation on his side and an overwhelming opposition that ultimately destroyed his small group of abolitionists. Colonel Robert E. Lee and Lieutenant J.E.B. Stuart were among those who ended Brown’s raid. Brown was captured, though most of his men were killed, and the judicial system found him guilty of treason and murder, sentencing him to death. In the eyes of abolitionists, Brown became a martyr figure, and songs were even written to commemorate his death. This raid, although seeming at the time to be a failure, actually became yet another divide between the North and South, pushing the imminent war against slavery closer to its gruesome beginning.

October 17th:

1931: Al Capone Recives 11 Year Prison Sentence

A brutal and sly mastermind, Alphonse Gabriel Capone was one of the most successful, notorious gangsters in America in the 1920s and 1930s. His exploitation of alcohol distribution and prostitution during the prohibition financially benefitted him and his organization greatly, while the violent tactics he preferred to use against his competitors contributed to his fame. However, law enforcement was never able to find any evidence of his dirty dealings because of Capone’s influence and bribery. The one thing that provided a solid source of evidence to Capone’s guilt was his tax evasion. Capone orchestrated hundreds of illegal events, particularly murders, and yet the only reason the police were able to arrest him was because he didn’t pay his taxes. Capone received 11 years in prison, first at the U. S. Penitentiary in Atlanta, GA, and then was moved to Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay.

October 18th:

1767: The Mason-Dixon Line is Drawn

Since their establishment, the British colonies of Pennsylvania and Maryland both sported claims to the area of land between the 39th and 40th parallels, and colonists often disputed ownership of that land frequently and violently. Therefore, in 1760, the British government hired Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon to survey the area and to determine a legitimate border between the two colonies. Finally, in 1767, the Mason-Dixon line was drawn at the northern latitude of 39 degrees and 43 minutes, signified by a physical border which, at the time, was a line of rocks.

October 19th:

1985: Blockbuster opens! 

One of the most well-known and original sources of video and DVD movie rentals first opened on this day, created by a man named David Cook and located in Dallas, Texas. For a little over a quarter of a century, Blockbuster dominated the market of movie rentals, particularly because this was a generally new concept at the time of the business’ first conception. However, as changes took place in technology and accessibility, businesses like Netflix and other on-demand services have promoted a factor of convenience which attracts the public more than the traditional movie stores such as Blockbuster. On December 31, 2011, the Blockbuster franchises officially closed and the company went out of business.

Now I bet you’re wondering… What comes next? Soon you’ll see..

TODAY IN HISTORY!

October 20th:

1803: Louisiana Purchase is Made Official

During Napoleon Bonaparte’s reign over France and the power he held in Europe at the time, the U.S. felt relatively threatened by the proximity of the large French-owned area of land known as Louisiana. President Thomas Jefferson appointed James Monroe to convince France to sell the land to the United States. Due to Napoleon’s recent entanglements with Great Britain and the possibility that G.B. could potentially overtake France’s hold on their New World land, Napoleon agreed to sell Louisiana to the United States for $15 million. Jefferson sent the treaty to the Senate for ratification on this day.

Quote of the Day:

“Go after what you really love and find a way to make that work for you, and then you’ll be a happy person.”

-Tom Petty (Birthday: October 20, 1950)